Pages

Tuesday, 7 July 2015

Mercedes-Benz AMG GT S DTM Safety Car

A new Safety Car celebrates its DTM premiere: at the second DTM race
at the EuroSpeedway Lausitz, the Mercedes-AMG GT S was deployed for the
very first time. The new sports car will help to ensure maximum safety
on the race track in the world's most popular touring car series. In
technical terms, the 375 kW (510 hp) eight-cylinder sports car is for
the most part the same as the series production vehicle - just like its
counterpart from the FIA Formula 1 World Championship™, the Official
Safety Car.
In its road-going guise the Mercedes-AMG GT S has
turned heads since its market launch in March 2015 and now the sports
car is also taking to the DTM stage. The new season of the German
Touring Car Masters (DTM) got under way during the first weekend of May
in Hockenheim. The second DTM race taking place at the EuroSpeedway
Lausitz at the end of May will see the Mercedes-AMG GT S make its first
appearance as the official Safety Car. As part of the DTM, the three
manufacturers regularly switch their Safety Cars, meaning that the GT S
will also be deployed at the fourth race in Zandvoort, Netherlands and
at the final race in Hockenheim.

At the wheel of the official Safety Car will be racing driver Jürgen
Kastenholz (47). He takes to the track when dangerous situations, such
as an accident, extreme weather conditions or other incidents make it
necessary for the vehicle to be deployed. The objective is to achieve
maximum safety for the drivers, spectators and track marshals. After
receiving a radio message from the race organisers, the Safety Car takes
up its position at the head of the DTM field and guides the cars around
the track until the normal course of the race can be resumed once more.

AMG sports cars also feature as the Official Safety Car in Formula 1®
The
Mercedes-AMG GT S replaces the previous Safety Car, the C 63 AMG Coupé
Black Series, which saw active service in the DTM from 2012 to 2014. As
the second sports car independently developed by Mercedes-AMG, the GT S
features a virtually identical configuration to the Official Safety Car
being deployed at all of the 19 races of the 2015 Formula 1® season.
High cornering speeds, dynamic bursts of acceleration and fast lap times
- the profile of requirements is a demanding one. The ultimate goal is
to guide the powerful 360 kW (490 hp) DTM touring cars safely around the
circuit. In doing so, the Safety Car must not drive too slowly, in
order to prevent the tyres and brakes cooling down too much and the
engines overheating.

To face up to such a hard job on the race
rack the GT S boasts ideal qualifications: the front mid-engine concept
with transaxle, the V8 biturbo engine with dry sump lubrication, the
dual clutch transmission and the sports suspension with aluminium
double-wishbone axles provide the basis for fast laps on the race
circuit. Excellent driving dynamics are innate in the genetic make-up of
the Mercedes-AMG GT S: the intelligent aluminium lightweight design
guarantees not only a low vehicle weight but also a low centre of
gravity for the vehicle and an advantageous weight distribution of 47 to
53 percent between front and rear axle.

Drivetrain matches that of the GT S road-going version
The
drivetrain of the Safety Car is identical to that used on the
road-going version of the AMG GT S. With a maximum output of 375 kW (510
hp) and peak torque of 650 Newton metres, the 4.0-litre V8 biturbo
engine guarantees high-end performance: the GT S accelerates from a
standing start to 100 km/h in 3.8 seconds and attains a maximum speed of
310 km/h. As music to the ears of the fans in the stands and in front
of their TV screens, the GT S is fitted with a modified Performance
exhaust system for an even more striking AMG V8 engine sound which is
predestined to give spectators goose bumps.
The Mercedes-AMG GT S
clearly has race track performance in its genes, as only a small number
of modifications were required to transform it into the DTM Safety Car.
The AMG SPEEDSHIFT DCT 7-speed sports transmission corresponds entirely
to the series production unit, for example. The AMG DYNAMIC PLUS package
with which the Safety Car is equipped is optionally available to any GT
S customer for a further increase in driving dynamics. It comprises
dynamic engine and transmission mounts and a specific engine application
in "RACE" DYNAMIC SELECT transmission mode and in manual transmission
mode "M". The package also includes tauter spring and damper tuning,
more negative camber at the front axle as well as an adapted
speed-sensitive sports steering system. The performance steering wheel
in black DINAMICA microfibre and yellow highlights in the instrument
cluster round off the AMG DYNAMIC PLUS package.
The Safety Car
runs on particularly light cross-spoke forged wheels with fully
integrated wheel bolt covers. The forged wheels painted in matt black
with high-sheen rim flanges are fitted with tyres in standard size
265/35 R 19 on 9 x 19 (front) and 295/30 R 20 on 11 x 20 (rear). This
wheel/tyre combination is also optionally available to customers for the
Mercedes-AMG GT and the GT S.
The high-performance ceramic
composite braking system is also available as an option for the
road-going version of the GT. The advantages of this system are lower
weight, a longer service life and even better fade resistance thanks to
the ceramic brake discs with a diameter of 402 millimetres at the front
and 360 millimetres at the rear.

Bentley Continental GT Speed Breitling Jet Team Series (2016)

Bentley is taking its fusion of luxury and performance to new
extremes with the launch of the Continental GT Speed Breitling Jet Team
Series. This exclusive series is limited to just seven cars, each
inspired by one of the seven Breitling Jets.
Renowned for their
precision, speed and daring, this summer the Breitling Jet Team will be
performing across the United States and Canada in a grand tour of epic
proportions. To commemorate this spectacle, Bentley's Mulliner division
has re-imagined the Continental GT Speed to mirror the distinctive look
of the Breitling Jets, fusing extreme customisation with immense speed.
The
exterior is painted in a striking duo-tone split of Hallmark and Onyx
with highlights colour matched to the exact Pantone of Breitling's
unique Yellow, reflecting the trademark look of the L-39 Albatros Jets.
This bespoke colour theme is continued on the interior, with unique sculpted seats featuring accents in Breitling Yellow.
Taking
customisation to new heights, each car is individually numbered and
corresponds to one of the seven Breitling Jets. The dashboard's carbon
fibre fascia panel displays an image of the seven planes in their
signature Avenger flight formation, with the corresponding jet
highlighted in Breitling Yellow.
Similarly, Mulliner has matched
the hide and thread to Breitling's signature yellow and designed a
series of logos and graphics for the headrests that highlight the number
of each car and the jet that inspired it. The tread plate plaques are
also individually numbered.
The series will debut at the Boeing
Seafair Airshow on 31st July, 2015 in Seattle, where the Breitling Jet
Team is performing. The key for each car will be handed over to its
owner by the corresponding plane's pilot, but not until they have
experienced a flight in the jet that inspired their car.
Geoff
Dowding, Director of Mulliner, said: "The Continental GT Speed Breitling
Jet Team Series demonstrates the level of customisation Mulliner can
achieve for customers. Creating this very special edition has been an
exciting experience for the entire team, taking inspiration from the
Breitling Jet Team's grand tour."

Renault Talisman (2016)

Renault revealed its new executive saloon. The evocatively named
Talisman ticks all the boxes that D-segment customers have come to
appreciate, while taking wellbeing and driving enjoyment to a new level.
The Renault Talisman features a unique combination of:

Assertive styling: sleek, elegant lines.

A
warm, spacious cabin: ample room for all occupants and front seats
among the very best in the Talisman's class, plus an impressively big
boot (608dm3 VDA).

Innovations for intense enjoyment:
Multi-Sense technology to match the mood of the driver. The Talisman is
the only D-segment saloon car to combine 4Control® four-wheel steering
with active damping, allowing it to deliver unique road manners, plus
safe, dynamic, agile handling, and outstanding ride comfort.

All
these innovations combine to make the Talisman an executive saloon that
will appeal not only thanks to its styling but also through a
pleasurable experience for both drivers and passengers alike.
The
Talisman is built to the very highest quality standards and meticulous
attention has been paid to every detail, including, notably, the depth
and lustre of its paint.
Low running costs, plus low fuel consumption and CO2 emissions also figure prominently amongst the Talisman's core strengths.

The Renault Talisman, together with the Estate version - which
features the same qualities as the saloon - is poised to play an active
part in the renewal and upgrading of Renault's high-end range. Both
vehicles will be manufactured at the firm's Douai plant in France.
Following
its unveil to the media on July 6, 2015, the Renault Talisman - along
with the Estate version - will be presented at this year's Frankfurt
Motor Show, which opens its gates to the public on September 17. The
Talisman will be available for sale in Europe at the end of 2015.A name that embodies the strengths of Renault's saloon
Renault selects names for its models that symbolise their design and personality across all markets where they are sold.
True
to this tradition, the Talisman has been given a charismatic name that
conjures up notions of both protection and power. At the same time,
Talisman is an easy word to pronounce and is understood the world over.
This
three-syllable name rolls easily and naturally off the tongue, yet it
asserts the model's powerful personality and the energy it radiates. The
combination of the model's strong, racy lines and innovative
technologies express protection and safety.
The Talisman delivers intense driving enjoyment grounded in a genuinely sensorial experience.

aloon car essentials
For the Talisman, Renault
designers opted for a three-box body style. The saloon layout - with a
distinct boot - picks up on the universally accepted design practice for
this type of car, whilst simultaneously blending Renault's warm and
friendly DNA into the mix.
To reinterpret the rulebook, Renault's
designers went back to basics to establish the ideal proportions and
perfect balance between the different volumes. An overall length of 4.85
metres and a width of 1.87 metres endows the Talisman with a generous
footprint that is beneficial to interior space and underscores the
distinguished apperance expected of a car of this stature.
Renault's
designers and engineers worked closely together to keep the roof height
to just 1.46 metres and to control ground clearance. They also achieved
the ideal one-third / two-thirds ratio between the glazed areas and
body panels, plus a 2.81 metres long wheelbase. The long bonnet adds
dynamism to the Talisman's profile, and the large diameter wheels (up to
19-inches) are a snug fit within their sculpted arches.Sleek styling
The
Talisman is powerful and inspires confidence from the front with its
distinctive chrome grille featuring the brand's upright diamond logo.
Renault's new visual signature continues through the Talisman's C-shaped
daytime running lights, which extend right down to the bumper.
Depending on the version, the Talisman can be equipped with 100% 'pure
vision' LED headlights.
The side profile is enhanced by the
dynamic shape of the third side window, evoking the world of luxury
limousines and the visual promise of generous space inside. The use of
chrome underscores the elegance of the Talisman's silhouette, with a
strip running the perimeter of the side windows and another on the
moulding that straddles the front wing and door. This arrow-shaped
feature taps into the design language of sporting cars to suggest
performance and aerodynamic efficiency.
The low, broad-shouldered
rear incorporates distinctive tail light clusters that extend inwards
towards the centreline of the boot. Their elongated shape underscores
the car's grounded stance while drawing attention to the Renault logo.
3D-effect lighting provides the Talisman with a powerful visual
signature. These lights are always switched on - even during the daytime
- to further reinforce their visual impact.

All paint options feature a high-durability lacquer coat providing added lustre and a higher level of resistance.
Five
alloy wheel designs (depending on the market): 16-inch Sequence wheels,
17- inch Bayadere wheels, 18-inch Erbé Grey diamond-effect Duetto
wheels, 19-inch Erbé Grey diamond-effect Alizarine wheels and 19-inch
black Initiale Paris diamondeffect wheels.An interior that blends warmth, clean lines and quality
Reinterpreting
classical design cues to reflect the themes of the exterior styling,
Renault's designers conceived an interior that is welcoming and high in
quality.
Visually, the cabin is divided into three horizontal planes which serve to structure the space within the vehicle.
The
areas closest to the occupants feature an inviting, soft-to-the-touch
trim. Elements that are further away are deliberately treated in a
'cooler' manner in terms of colours and materials. This contrast
contributes to the impression of space. Lastly, the combination of
particular colours and a variety of different materials creates
different interior ambiences.
Painstaking attention and
imaginative solutions were applied to the Talisman's ergonomics and
design, even down to the padding and trim of its interior components.On-board refinement: a roomy interior, welcoming seats and supreme comfort
The
Talisman has many strengths that support its bid to distil a unique
impression of comfort and wellbeing thanks to its generously
dimensioned, welcoming interior.The Talisman stands out among the best cars in its class in terms of cabin space and all-round stowage capacity
The
Talisman was carefully thought through to ensure the wellbeing of the
driver and occupants alike and its cabin is among the roomiest in its
class, notably in three areas:

Front and rear headroom: the height from the seat cushion to the roof is 902mm at the front and 855mm at the rear.

Front elbow room.

Rear knee room: 262mm - amongst the very best in the Talisman's segment.

The
wide centre console contributes further to this impression of space and
width by positioning the front occupants at an appreciable distance
from each other. The console itself is pleasant to the touch and
carefully finished.
With more than 25 litres of stowage space
around the cabin, the Talisman figures among the very best in its class
in this respect, including:

Generous glove box: 8 litres,

Door bins: 4.6 litres at the front (accommodates a 1½-litre bottle) and two litres at the back,

Practical cup holders,

Judicious
stowage space beneath the central armrest with a chilled compartment
(versions equipped with EDC transmission) capable of holding a
half-litre bottle or a 33cl can,

A bespoke tray for the front passenger to stash their smartphone or keys.

Meanwhile,
the boot capacity of 608dm3 (VDA) is one of the segment's biggest,
making it ideal for family use… and more, since it can accommodate up to
four golf bags.

A personal welcome and comfort
When the key
card holder approaches, the Daytime Running Lights, rear lights and the
interior roof light come on, while the door mirrors deploy and down
lights illuminate the area around the door. When the driver opens the
door, he or she is welcomed by an audible and visual animation on the
display. Meanwhile, the seat automatically slides back 50mm (versions
with electric seats) to facilitate ingress. Once the driver is seated,
it returns to its original position.
In addition to this personal
welcome, the Talisman's wide front seats, designed with airline business
class seats in mind, combine two important new features:

In a
world first, the front seat backs incorporate Cover Carving Technology
which takes the form of a semi-rigid, resistant, flexible and
lightweight shell. This ingenious Renault innovation provides designers
with additional freedom, adds to the impression of quality, frees up
space (extra 3cm knee room at the rear) and weighs 1kg less than a
conventional plastic seat back shell.

The low seat cushion position ensures a comfortable, dynamic driving experience while freeing up appreciable headroom.
The
rear three-person bench seat comes with variable density mousse to
pamper rear passengers. The 60/40-split bench has a hatch to enable skis
to be carried. The two outer seats are equipped with a rotating
headrest, which can be retracted and turned to free up the driver's
rearward line of sight.Five interior ambiences
The
Renault Talisman offers a choice of five interior ambiences and trim
associated with different equipment levels (ambiences may vary depending
on market).
There are three interior trims and five equipment levels:

An Initiale Paris signature version of the Talisman
Following
in the footsteps of the Clio and the new Espace, the Talisman is the
latest model to benefit from the Initiale Paris trim level, which is
synonymous with the very best that Renault has to offer in the realms of
wellbeing and service.Exclusive exterior styling features

Exclusive Améthyste Black metallic paint, in addition to the other available colours,

Specific 19-inch wheels,

Specific badging at the front (beneath the Renault logo) and at the rear in place of the Talisman badge.

Painstaking attention paid to interior comfort

Nappa full-grain leather upholstery in either black or grey gradient,

Enveloping 'Relax' front headrests,

Exclusive Nappa leather-trimmed steering wheel,

Dashboard with top-stitching,

Heated, massaging front seats with 10-way adjustment (eight of which are electric),

Laminated side windows for improved acoustic comfort,

Initiale
Paris badging inside on the door sills, steering wheel insert, top of
the front seat backs (embossed) and decorative trim on the back of the
front headrests,

Exclusive carpet mats,

Specific Initiale Paris hands-free card,

Door mirrors angled downwards when reverse gear is engaged.

Comprehensive, welcoming service

A
dedicated call centre designed to provide constructive, tailored
responses to requests for assistance and capable of making appointments
within 24 hours for test drives, servicing and assistance with connected
services,

A dedicated area in showrooms,

A unique range of optional services aimed at simplifying life on board.

A comprehensive, user-friendly multimedia experience
The Talisman comes with three types of multimedia equipment.
The
entry level Talisman is equipped with a car radio featuring a 4.2-inch
(11cm) display. Depending on the market, this digital radio offers
flawless reception and CD quality sound. The signal also carries
information in text format, such as a description of what is playing,
weather and traffic updates, latest news, etc.
In the case of the
intermediate equipment levels, the Talisman comes with the R-Link 2
connected multimedia tablet, with a seven-inch (18cm) landscape format
display and Bose Surround Sound.
The high-end equipment level comes with R-Link 2 complete with an 8.7-inch (22cm) portrait format display.R-Link 2, the Talisman's connected control centre
Along
with the functions and ergonomics developed specifically for in-car
use, the Renault R-Link 2 connected tablet comes with either a
seven-inch landscape format or 8.7-inch portrait display. The latter is a
first in the Talisman's class.High-tech